Spring beard needle and method of using same



April 7, 1953 P. J. SCHOENSTER 2,633,721

SPRING BEARD NEEDLE AND METHOD 01-" USING SAME Filed July 27, 1950 FIG.1

INVENTOR ORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1953 SPRING BEARD NEEDLE AND METHOD OF USING SAME Peter J. Schoenster, Teaneck, N. J., assignor to Alfred Hofmann Needle Works, Inc., West New York, N. J a corporation Application July 2'7, 1950, Serial No. 176,145

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to knitting needles of the spring beard type.

In conventional knitting needles of the spring beard type, such as used in full fashioned hosiery or warp knitting machines, the beard is formed with a crimp which either strikes the presser edge of the machine due to the motion of the needle towards the presser edge or is struck by a presser edge due to the motion of the presser edge towards the needle or a combined motion of the presser edge and needle. Such action closes the beard to allow the newly knitted loop to be drawn through an old loop, in a manner known in the art.

Heretofore, no logical practice has been followed in locating the crimp on the needle beard.

Crimp locations have been shifted within a range, in order to possibly overcome specific knitting difficulties traceable to beard closure. However, needles designed to cope with specific knitting problems are not universally adaptable to a variety of knitting difficulties which may arise due to improper beard closure.

In the case of both full fashioned hosiery knitting machines and warp knitting machines, the presser edge must insure the beard remaining closed over a substantial portion of the knitting cycle, commencing from the time just before entering the fabric line, when the fabric is held at its maximum height on the shank of the needle, until it has passed through the fabric line when the fabric is held at its lowest point on the needle shank. In a warp knitting machine, the presser edge is usually placed above the sinkers. In a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine, the presser edge, although located largely within the plane of the lower portion of the sinkers, cannot extend too far below the lower edge of the sinkers because of the location and operating range of the knockover bits which require suificient clearance to perform their knockover action.

Thus, in the case of a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine, the limits of the range within which the fabric line moves during the knitting operation, is from the bottom of the sinkers, to the top of the knockover bits. On the other hand, in a warp knitting machine, the range limits are between the upper and lower edges of the throat of the sinkers. It follows that the actual time and space intervals within which the needle beard should be held closed by pressing the beard tip into the shank groove, are determined on either type of machine by the aforesaid range within which the fabric line moves during the knitting operation.

It is understood that the crimp on a conventional needle beard is designed to form the only point of engagement between the presser edge and the beard during the closure of the beard. However, due to improper timing of the relative motions or other technical insufficiencies, in actual practice, the beard is also engaged by the presser edge on the inclined portions on either side of the crimp. Such pressing action inherently gives rise to an excessive variation in pressure which leads to non-uniformity in the knitting operation.

Corrective measures heretofore resorted to, including shifting the location of the crimp within a limited extent of the beard or a variation in the pressing action, have proven to be far from satisfactory in the light of the results attained.

When using excessive pressing action, the beard tip will abut too heavily against the groove bottom in the needle shank, thus causing crystallization of the metal and premature needle breakage, as well as excessive wear on the presser edge. With a reduced press, the closure of the beard may be insufiicient to properly complete the knitting cycle, resulting in load-ups of fabric loops, which in turn leads to premature needle breakage and split loops in the fabric.

A variation in the press also makes it difficult to maintain theproper degree of beard closure within the time interval required in the knitting cycle, since the effective pressure is varied by the angular relationship of the beard portions on either side of the crimp, with respect to the presser edge. Thus, the beard tip would either temporarily abut the groove bottom or wouldbe retained in the groove only within critical limits. In addition, with conventional needles, the beard opening may be too early, resulting in knitting difficulties.

Accordingly, an object of' this invention is to provide a knitting needle having an improved crimp structure on the beard thereof, such crimp structure allowing the fullest range of beard closure under substantially uniform pressure conditions and the retention of beard closure during 1 the required portion of the knitting cycle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spring beard knitting needle having aflat pressing surface on the beard thereof, thereby extending the normal life of the needle and reducing the wear on the presser edge.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spring beard knitting needle, thebeard being formed with a press surface adapted to have applied thereto substantially uniform pressure, thereby allowing the use of a relatively shallow groove on the needle shank to receive the beard tip.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a spring beard needle wherein the beard includes an extended press surface which is substantially parallel to the needle shank in the open position of the beard and is responsive to I the application thereto of substantially uniform pressure, to provide a dwell period in the knitting cycle.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a spring beard needle wherein the beard is formed with an improved crimp structure and the beard and/or the needle shank is formed with zones of modified sectional dimensions located adjacent the bent head of the needle,

whereby improved results are obtained from the correlated needle fiexure and beard closure action during the knitting cycle.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved spring beard knitting needle and a method of using the same in either full fashioned hosiery knitting machines or warp knitting machines, wherein the needle beard may be held closed throughout an extended range of time and space intervals covering the appropriate portions of the knitting cycle of either type of machine.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly resides in the details of construction as exemplified in the embodiments and the use thereof, hereinafter described,

the scope of invention being set forth in the accompanying claims.

In the drawing illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional spring beard knitting needle;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the beard end of a knitting needle embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a beard portion of the needle shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 1, It designates a conventional spring beard knitting needle. The same comprises a shank ll having a butt H2 at one end and being formed with a relatively deep groove l3 at the other end. The needle is formed with a bent head M and a spring beard I5. The shank is flattened in order to rigidify the same, leaving the butt 12, the head M and the beard l5 substantially of circular or uniformly tapering semi-circular cross section.

The beard i5 is formed with the usual angular crimp IE located between the beard tip I! and the head 14. The tip is pressed into groove 13 when the beard is closed during the knitting cycle to allow a newly formed loop to be drawn through an old loop. The beard is closed when the same is engaged by the presser edge of the knitting machine, not shown, with relative movement therebetween. The beard may be engaged at the crimp IE or on the inclined beard portions on either side of the crimp. The precise location of the crimp l6 has been varied within the limits substantially defined by the points indicated as :c

and y in Fig. 1, in an attempt to obtain better beard closure. Such attempts are defeated at least in part, due to the excessive variation in pressure applied to the beard as a result of changes in angularity as between the line of pressure and the different portions of the beard on either side of the crimp, thus causing nonuniformity in the knitting operation.

In Fig. 2 is shown a beard portion of a needle embodying the invention and including a crimp structure which is adapted to overcome in a large measure the disadvantages of a conventionel needle such as shown in Fig. 1. The needle 2-D includes a shank 2!, a groove 23, a bent head 24 and a spring heard 25.

The heard 25 is angularly formed at spaced points 2B, 2?, thus providing a rectilinear press portion 28 between said points, such press portion. being substantially parallel to the axis of shank 2| when the heard is in its normal open position. The beard 25 further includes a beard portion 29 extending from point 25 and terminating in a tip 38 which is received in groove 23 when the beard is closed. Another beard portion 3| extends from point 2'? to the head 24.

It will be apparent that beard portion 28 presents a substantially flat, extended, rectilinear pressing surface. Thus, the engagement of the press portion by the presser edge to close the beard, will involve a more uniform application of pressure with respect to all points on the press portion. The incidence of the line of pressure with respect to the press portion of the beard remains substantially unchanged as the beard tip is moved into the shank groove, inasmuch as the deflection of the needle shank compensates for the angular displacement of the beard as it is moved towards its closed position. Accordingly, the press action attains a greater degree of uniformity than that obtained with needles having a conventional beard crimp.

In view of the more uniform pressure adapted to be applied to the press portion 28, in contrast to the excessively variable pressures encountered in the closure of the beards of conventional needles, the groove 23 in needle 20 may be relatively shallow as compared to the relatively deep groove I3 in needle Hi.

Furthermore, with movement of the needle beard relative to the presser edge, portion 28 presents a dwell surface which is adapted to cover an operating time range which includes the upper and lower limits of the fabric line movement during the knitting cycle. With an extended press portion on the needle beard, the height of the presser edge may be reduced, thereby providing for more accurate adjustment of the press action with respect to the needle heard.

It is understood that the angular relation of beard portions 29, 3! with respect to press portion 28, may be suitably modified to suit a predetermined knitting cycle or a desired range of time and space intervals for beard closure. Similarly, the length and relative position of the press portion may also be modified to suit predetermined knitting conditions.

The needle having the improved crimp structure on the beard thereof, may also incorporate structure providing for improved fiexure characteristics as between the beard and the shank, as more fully described in application Ser. No. 174,717 filed July 19, 1959. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 3, the needle 46 comprises a shank 4|, a shank groove 43, a bent head is and a beard 45. The heard 45 is angularly formed at spaced points 46, 41 to provide an intervening linear press portion 48, as previously described. The lower beard portion 59 terminates in a tip 50 which is received in groove 43, during the press, as previously described.

In addition, the beard 45 is formed at a zone 52 located adjacent bent head 44, with a section of modified dimensions, whereby to provide a predetermined and controlled flexure section which has a determined flexure characteristic as between the beard and the shank. Such section may be formed by a flattening operation which produces a flattened inner surface 53 having laterally extending edge portions 54. The shank l! may be similarly formed at a zone 55, also located adjacent bent head it, with a section of modified dimensions whereby to provide a section of predetermined and controlled flexure for the shank relative to the beard.

The forming of such flexure sections may be accomplished by swaging, milling or other suit able metal working operations more fully described in said application Ser. No. 174:,717. The modified sections may be provided on the inner or outer surfaces of the beard and/or the shank, in accordance with the specific use of the needle and the type of knitting operation to be encountered.

It will be apparent that the flat press portion on the needle beard which. provides for improved beard closure and the modified sections which provide improved flexure characteristics for the beard and/or the shank, will coact during the press operation to conjointly contribute to improved knitting operations and the production of high quality knitted fabric.

It will thus be seen that there is provided knitting needles of the spring beard type, together with a method of using the same, in which the several objects of the invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above described invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments set forth, it is understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. A knitting needle comprising a shank and a spring beard, said beard being formed with a pair of spaced crimps providing a rectilinear pressing portion between said crimps.

2. A knitting needle comprising a shank formed with a groove, a bent head and a spring beard terminating in a tip adapted to be received in said groove, said beard including an extended rectilinear press portion angularly related to the portions adjacent thereto.

3. A knitting needle comprising a shank and a spring beard, said beard including an intermediate linear portion extending substantially parallel to said shank in the normal, open position of said beard, and a portion extending from each end of said intermediate portion, said last mentioned portions being inclinedto- 'ward said shank.

4. In a method of knitting fabric with spring beard needles, comprising providing needles each having a spring beard formed with a linear pressure portion extending substantially parallel to the shank of the needle in the open position of said beard, effecting relative movement between said needles and a pressing means whereby the beards of said needles are moved to their closed position during a portion of the knitting cycle and causing substantially uniform pressure to be applied to the pressure surfaces of said needles throughout the extent of said knitting cycle portion.

5. A knitting needle comprising a shank portion, a bent head and a spring beard portion terminating in a tip, said beard portion including a rectilinear pressure receiving portion located intermediate said tip and said bent head, at least one of said portions being formed in a zone adjacent said bent head with a section of modified transverse dimensions whereby said beard portion may be closed and a desired flexure characteristic between said beard and shank portions obtained upon the application of substantially uniform pressure to the pressure receiving surface of said beard portion.

6. A knitting needle comprising a shank formed with a groove, a bent head and a beard, said beard being formed with a pair of spaced crimps and a rectilinear pressure receiving portion therebetween, said beard including a tip receivable in said shank groove, said beard being further formed'with a modified transverse section located intermediate said bent head and the crimp adjacent said bent head, said section providing a predetermined flexure characteristic between said shank and said beard.

7. A knitting needle comprising a shank and a spring board, said beard including spaced portions extending at an angle to the axis of said shank and a rectilinear pressing portion intermediate said angular portions and adapted. to receive on successive parts thereof substantially uniformly applied pressure wherebyto close said beard, wherein the angularity between the line of said pressure and each of said pressing portion parts remains substantially unchanged.

PETER J. SCHO-ENSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 62,382 Wardwell Feb. 26, 1867 287,175 Salisbury Oct. 23, 1883 453,513 Shaw June 2, 1891 761,831 Hart June 7, 1904 1,230,323 Pidgeon June 19, 1917 1,398,821 Wilcomb Nov. 29, 1921 1,885,097 Hertan Oct. 25, 1932 2,312,903 Hirt et al Mar. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 136,019 Switzerland Jan. 2, 1930 

